Shrewsbury midwife in supermarket push
A midwife who is taking on the London Marathon later this year will do part of her training for the big event in front of shoppers in Shrewsbury on Saturday.
Sarah Davies, who works for Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals specifically with pregnant women with diabetes, has spent a large part of her life working on behalf of those - like her - who suffer from the disorder.
She has a fund raising target of £2,100 for Diabetes UK when she completes the event, on October 2 and will walk the full distance of the marathon on a treadmill at Morrison's Supermarket in Shrewsbury.
Sarah, who was part of a group in Shrewsbury called the Dolly Mixtures a few years ago, has only ever done a 5k distance before. She admits she finds the schedule of training 'gruelling' but is determined to get in shape for the race to raise money for the cause which is dear to her heart.
She said: "I work every day with women who have diabetes and I myself was diagnosed type one when I was seven - I am 46 now - so it is something I have lived with and managed for all those years and will continue to do so.
"Diabetes UK helps and supports those people who suffer from it - whether type one or type two - and is actively looking to cure it as well - so it is a cause close to my heart.
"Since I was accepted for the marathon at the end of March my life has changed quite a bit in terms of how I have to discipline myself to go and do a run everyday, building up distances and just getting out there in the first place. Before I only ever ran as part of a group and did events like a 5k at Alton Towers so this is something completely different.
"By walking the distance on a treadmill it will give me some idea of what that distance involves. I am expecting it to take around eight hours so there will be plenty of shoppers to talk to and there will be leaflets out on the work of Diabetes UK plus information on how to give."
Sarah's training coincides with the One Million Step Challenge in July and she will be doing treadmill walk at Morrison's Whitchurch Road from 8am on Saturday - to sponsor Sarah go to www.justgiving.com/sarah-davies257 or for more information on diabetes go to www.diabetes.org.uk
